.

[412] But for uniformity's sake I should not have translated this, for
fear of doing it injustice. "Not presume to dictate," in Mr. Jingle's
constantly useful phrase, but it seems to me one of the finest in French
prose.

[413] "Craze" has been suggested; but is, I think, hardly an exact
synonym.

[414] This may seem to contradict, or at any rate to be inconsistent
with, a passage above (p. 367) on the "flirtations" of Crebillon's
personages. It is, however, only a more strictly accurate use of the
word.

[415] Two remarkable and short passages of his, not quoted in the
special notice of him, may be given--one in English, because of its
remarkable anticipation of the state of mind of Catherine Morland in
_Northanger Abbey_; the other in French, as a curious "conclusion of the
whole matter." They are both from _Marianne_.

"I had resolved not to sleep another night in the house. I cannot indeed
tell you what was the exact object of my fear, or why it was so lively.
All that I know is that I constantly beheld before me the countenance of
my landlord, to which I had hitherto paid no particular attention, and
then I began to find terrible things in this countenance His wife's
face, too, seemed to be gloomy and dark; the servants looked like
scoundrels; all their faces made me in a state of unbearable alarm. I
saw before me swords, daggers, murders, thefts, insults. My blood grew
cold at the perils I imagined."

* * * * *

"Enfin ces agitations, tant agreables que penibles, s'affaiblirent et se
passerent. L'ame s'accoutume a tout; sa sensibilite s'use: et je me
familiarisais avec mes esperances et mes inquietudes."

[416] Since, long ago, I formed the opinion of _Adolphe_ embodied above,
I have, I think, seen French criticisms which took it rather
differently--as a personal confession of the "confusions of a wasted
youth," misled by passion. The reader must judge which is the juster
view.

[417] By a little allowance for influence, if not for intrinsic value.

[418] On representations from persons of distinction I have given Laclos
a place in an outhouse (see "Add. and Corr."). But I have made this
place as much of a penitentiary as I could.

[419] I must apologise by anticipation to the _official_ French critic.
To him, I know, even if he is no mere minor Malherbe, Restif's style is
very faulty; but I should not presume to take his point of view, either
for praise or blame.